Father Time
by mrsmcclnt
Summary: Time is all that Lucius Malfoy has left as he desperatly tries to make amends for his bad decisions.
1. A Step Back

_"Where do your loyalties lie, Lucius?"_

_"With you, my Lord, always."_

_"Really? And what of your family?"_

_"They are loyal to you also, my Lord."_

_(silence)_

_"Is your loyalty to your family stronger then your loyalty to me, Lucius?"_

_(silence)_

_"No, my Lord. My loyalty to you is strong, for it keeps my family safe." _

_(silence)_

_"Good answer. A much better response then what your wife gave." _

****

_~*~*~*~*~_

As his eyes began to open, he got a clearer view of the open sky above. He could tell it was nearing nightfall from the varying hues of red on the horizon.

That was when he realized that he was lying flat on his back.

"What the devil?" He sat up, but he did so too quickly and fell back to the ground, heaving uncomfortably. "Take it easy, old boy," he muttered to himself. Yet his body did not obey. His stomach spasm, relinquishing all of what was inside. When he was done, he reeked of bile and looked very undignified. Yet despite his uneasy appearance, he straightened himself and made a dizzying attempt at walking to a nearby bush. There, he found a satchel and his wand lying amongst the shrubbery.

"Merlin, what's happening?" He tried to steady himself once more but ended up on all fours in the bush. That's when his eye caught a glimpse of his name floating listlessly in the wind on a piece of parchment.

Dear Lucius,

He snatched it out of the air before it flew into the grassy field. As he read it, he could feel a new flood of turmoil washing over him from every word in the letter. Each wave of emotion brought him back into focus as he remembered why he had come. He felt his strength renewed as his sense of purpose returned to him.

He went to the satchel and made a quick check of the things he packed. The history book and map were there along with the Time-Turner he needed. "Now I'm ready." Lucius Malfoy pulled himself together as he set out on his mission. He referred to his map to get his bearings then got underway.

After a few miles of walking, the twinkling lights of a small town came into Lucius' view. "This is more like it," he said as his ankles painfully swelled within his shoes. He leaned against a tree at the village's perimeter for some much needed rest.

As he took a moment to rest his feet , he looked around to survey his surroundings. "From the looks of my predicament I must be in the right place, but-?" He noticed that the commoners in the village were wearing a different style of clothing that he wasn't accustomed to. "Where in time am I?"

Thinking back on his hasty departure, he deduced that he must have turned his Time-Turner back one flip too many. He had been in such a hurry that he hadn't paid attention as the hourglass moved.

He went back to his satchel to re-read the letter and gather his thoughts. "Well, it's of no consequence. As long as I'm back, I can prevent things from moving forward. I'll just have improvise, that's all." As he slipped his shoes back on, he realized that he needed to make an immediate change. "This won't do."

He pulled over his hood to secure his identity, then casually walked into town so that he could scope out some new attire. Within moments, he saw a man of his stature in a vibrantly colored tailored suit. "He does have good taste," Lucius whispered. "It' my colour too. But under the circumstances, I need something a little more demure. I could get robbed in that thing."

He waited patiently as his next option came in the form of a manservant – the servant of the gentleman in the nice suit. His outfit was not as flamboyant as his master's, but it did fit into Lucius' plans.

"This will do nicely." Staying hidden, he followed the young servant around the corner into a deserted alley. Moving with stealth, he then stunned the help and stripped him of clothes and belongings so that he couldn't be identified.

"Your Master is too good to you," Lucius told the unconscious body. "In my world, a fine tea cozy or kitchen rag would be sufficient enough clothing for any servant in my house."

After he hid the young man, he made his way back onto the street, blending into the crowd like a chameleon in a tree.

Feeling slightly exhausted, he re-read his letter again to regain his vigor. Being mindful of the time, he decided on his next course of action. "If I am in the right place then I need to go this way."

As he walked a few blocks down the road, Lucius became suspicious of some sudden movements he'd noticed behind him. As he turned a corner and double backed to investigate, he could see that the figure was doing the same thing.

"I suppose he would send for me sooner or later." But, he wasn't ready to leave just yet.

Taking evasive action, Lucius made a few quick turns down different alleyways. Then he whisked through a shop to head out the back onto another street at the opposite side of the building.

"Excuse me. Pardon me," he said to the pedestrians as he hurried down the street.

He swooped around another corner then back down another path. After a few more blocks, he no longer sensed the presence of whoever was tracking him.

He turned another corner to look down the path. There were no sudden movements or hurried footsteps as there were before.

"That should do it. I guess I lost him." He felt confident that he was off the tracker's radar, but to be certain, he went into a nearby inn to see if anyone would follow behind.

As he stepped inside the establishment, he was astonished at the clean appearance of the place. He looked up to the sign and began to chuckle to himself.

"This can't be the Leaky?" He laughed.

As he got further in, the old familiar sounds and smells of the place greeted him as they always did when he dropped in.. "This must be how it looked before it was overrun by Mudbloods."

Still keeping an incognito profile, he made his way to the bar for a seat. "What can I get you, dear?" asked the bubbly old woman.

Not certain of what he should order, since he wasn't in his own time, he looked into his neighbor's plate to see what was edible. "I'll have what's he's having," Lucius said.

"Good choice, love. The boar's head is particularly good tonight." The woman wobbled off into the kitchen, leaving Lucius feeling resentful of his choice.

As he made himself comfortable, a voice from his side sent a chill down his spine. "Well, look what the Kneazle dragged in."

Lucius felt his insides turn uncomfortably. After all the ducking and dogging he had done, the tracker had still managed to catch up.

But Lucius, being Lucius, kept his charm and a cool smile on his face despite feeling as though the bottom had been taken out from under him. He took a sip from his drink then turned to his tracker, exuding all the charisma he could muster.

"Kneazle? You say that as if to imply that I'm some sort of rat."

"Well, if the shoe fits, Lucius. But then again, we both know those aren't your shoes you're wearing."


	2. Old Regrets

Lucius gestured for the old Auror to sit in the empty seat beside him. As he took his seat, Lucius continued to sip his drink. "Alastor Moody. Such an honor it is to see you. I wouldn't have expected the Ministry to go to such lengths as to drag you into this."

"Well, not the Ministry that you serve, Malfoy."

"Maybe not. But still, it is an honor, indeed," Lucius replied as he raised his glass to toast the Auror..

Moody leaned in as he spoke to Lucius. "You know what they do to wizards who meddle with time, Malfoy. You don't want this to turn ugly."

"On the contrary, Moody. I don't intend for that to happen," he whispered to the older man, flashing the same charismatic smile he had greeted him with.

"Well, I don't know what your intentions are," Moody grumbled, "but you are not supposed to be here. Best that you come away from this now, before it gets out of hand, or else you'll get the maximum penalty."

Lucius continued to drink, partly because he was thirsty, but more so because he was trying to buy some time. "If you're referring to Azkaban, I've been there, done that. And considering what I've been through to get here, there's not much that can be worse."

Moody grabbed his hand, but Lucius grabbed Moody's with equal force. "You see, friend, I didn't arrive here on a whim. I have business to take care of, and I intend to handle it before I go anywhere else."

"Malfoy," Moody seethed quietly under his breath, trying not to cause a commotion, "you've taken this too far! You don't know what you are doing! You must turn back now!"

"I cannot," Lucius responded calmly. "To go back now is to go back to the pain and suffering that I've been through. The same pain and suffering that I've put my family through." The words confronted Lucius hard as he spoke them. He swallowed as he tried to keep alump from developing in his throat. Lucius knew he had pushed his family to the brink of destruction; he knew things had gone too far to ever make it right again. Lucius' heart began to break as he remembered the letter. His demeanor started to falter, but he didn't let it show through his smile. "I can never forgive myself for what I have done to them, Moody. But I can ...I will... make it up to them."

"Here's your meal, sir." The chubby young woman put a plate down in front of Lucius. "Can I get you anything?" she asked Moody.

"No. We'll be getting on our way."

"Surely not before we eat? We do have a...long way...to go before we get home." Lucius winked to the old man to irk him further.

Moody grumbled at his cheeky response, but the old man looked like he could use a bite to eat. "Our journey is ...long...indeed. I guess a quick bite before we head out wouldn't be a problem," he responded politely.

"He'll have what I'm having, then," Lucius replied to the woman as he tipped her with the change he'd found in the pants he'd taken from the servant. The woman smiled before she waddled back to kitchen, leaving both men to continue with their disagreement.

"We're leaving, Malfoy!" He grasped at Lucius' arm, but he pulled away before Moody could get a good grip.

"Don't cause a scene! I still have my wand and I'm not afraid to use it if I have to. Besides, it would be rude and illegal to leave without paying for the meal."

" You're one to talk about legalities," Moody laughed.

"Be that as it may -- sit down and eat. We can discuss this later, outside."

Grudgingly, Moody sat with Malfoy and waited for his meal. He looked over to his plate to see what he would be getting. "What is that, anyways?"

"I believe it is boar stew. She says it's particularly good tonight. Why don't you try some?" Without warning, Lucius swung his plate high to make sure it struck Moody's face. Moody flayed his arms in pain, trying to get the meat and vegetables out of his eyes. Moody was about to reach for his wand when he noticed that Lucius was gone. The commotion had been enough for Lucius to sneak out of the Leaky Cauldron.

When Lucius got far enough away from the inn, he pulled out the history book from his satchel to get his bearings again. "It should be this way," he muttered. After running a few blocks, he came upon what he had been looking for.

An ancient repository stood in the distance. Its rundown silhouette was a beautiful sight to his old and weary eyes. Lucius' heart raced with excitement as he felt himself gaining the upper hand in the situation. Soon, he would have what he needed to make things right in his world.

"All will be as it should," he whispered as he ran to the entrance.

Immediately he lost his momentum as he walked through the entrance and scanned the place. Scrolls and other pieces of parchment were littered through the entire area. He would be hard pressed to find what he needed in this state of disarray.

Feeling frustrated yet still determined, he rested on a pile of old books, wondering how to begin.

"It's in here somewhere, Lucius," he coaxed himself. Yet the burden of proof weighed heavily upon him.

Just then, a strange noise sounded from behind him. Lucius pulled out his wand, readying himself to dispatch the situation.

"You owe me five knuts for the meal." There was Moody, standing with a half-smile on his face.

"Really, five knuts? I don't think five knuts could buy a piece of bread in our time." Lucius kept his good humor as his wand targeted the old man. "Interesting how you keep showing up just at the right moment. I would never suspect a man of your age to be so fast on your feet... or foot." Lucius waved to his mechanical leg. "What kind of training are they giving at the Ministry?"

Moody kept the sarcasm going as he circled Lucius. "Still basic training, but in times like these, it helps if you have this."

A flash of gold caught Lucius' eye. He could tell, from the object in Moody's hands, how he was able to keep up. "Hmmm. I don't suppose those Time-Turners are standard issue now."

"Not really, Malfoy. Yet it does help me keep on the move. But there other things, clues here and there, that made it obvious to me where you were going." The old man pulled out a piece of parchment.

_Dear Lucius,_

As Lucius reached for his pocket , he realized that his letter must have slipped out in his hasty exit.

"Shall we continue with our discussion?" Moody said in a gentleman-like tone as he rested against the wall. The Auror's eyes narrowed in on Lucius as he waited for his next move.

Lucius still kept his wand targeted at Moody as his mind worked furiously for options. "There's nothing to discuss."

"Malfoy, you are meddling in things no one, not even a wizard, should be meddling in! This is mad, even by my standards! And they call me Mad-Eye!"

"You don't understand!" Lucius yelled as he watched for an opening.

"It's not for me to understand. I have been ordered to protect and serve. To keep time in order. The Unspeakables did not charge me with the task to understand or reason."

"Then you leave me no choice." Running out of options, Lucius cast a spell that caused Moody to sink into the wall.

"MALFOY!"

"I guess they didn't teach you that in training." But Lucius was wrong, for the wall exploded with sudden violence, sending shards of plaster everywhere as Moody liberated himself from its confines.

"YOU'RE GOING BACK, MALFOY! ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, YOU ARE GOING BACK!"

Staying fast on his feet, Lucius did some quick wand movements, sending wave after wave of parchment toward Moody. The old man ripped through the first barrage, but Lucius kept ahead of him. In one wicked motion, Lucius conjured a tsunami of books to stop the old Auror.

When the debris cleared, the room fell back to silence.

"That should hold you," Lucius said as he coughed through the dust cloud. Nevertheless, he knew that it wouldn't hold Moody for long. Making another hasty retreat, Lucius ran out of the main room and down a side hall of the repository. As he ran, he came by a door with some familiar writing on it. He consulted his book to refer to the picture of the item he had been searching for.

"Merlin, it must be in here." Lucius opened the door, only to find darkness within the room.

"Lumos!" Nothing. He repeated the charm a few times only to see the same results. The darkness still remained. Other enchantments he tried did nothing to illuminate his situation. The mounting stress threatened to overwhelm him as he stood, helplessly, in the room. "What the devil is going on?"

Determined to get what he needed, he felt along the wall within the dark space. "It's got to be here somewhere." Within a few steps his hand brushed against a knob. He tried to turn it, but found that the door was locked.

"Alohamora!" It didn't work. He tried a few more things, only to be left feeling frustrated by the lack of results his efforts garnered. The room was somehow magic proof. "None of my spells are working."

Desperate for a clue, Lucius scrounged around some more in the darkness, hoping to find anything that would aid him. As he did, he began to hear the rustling of someone else's feet in the room.

"MALFOY!" Moody shouted into the darkness.

"I suppose you were bound to catch up to me sooner or later."

Lucius could hear the shuffling of Moody's feet coming closer to him. Timing it just right, he stuck out his leg, causing the Auror to fall. The loud thud made him realize that, this time, Moody was out cold.

"Old fool. I tried to tell you. I'm not going back just yet."

Lucius frisked Moody's body, taking his Time Turner and the letter he had left behind. He checked his pulse to make sure he was out, but not dead. "Sorry about this, but I'm truly up to good this time."

As he surveyed the man's condition, Lucius noticed the odd position he had landed in. He felt something hard underneath Moody's head. As his hands moved around the object, he noticed that it felt like feet.

He looked up and saw a face in the darkness.

Lucius rolled to his side, pointing his wand in the shadow's direction. He slowly lurched from side to side, seeing if the stranger noticed his actions. As Lucius crept up to the person, he saw how motionless the stranger was. As Lucius walked closer, his tension subsided as he saw that it wasn't a person but a statue..

"This must be it." Returning to the feet, his hands traced the bottom like a blind man reading Braille. Within inches of Moody's head, he found the markings he needed inscribed within the pedestal. Taking a moment to figure out the words, he spoke them aloud, hoping that what happened next would be the key to his survival.

"Enys Gnal Dlua!"

Suddenly, a fury of bright light showered over him before dissipating. When he looked around, he noticed that he was no longer in the room... nor was he at the repository.

"This is not happening!" another voice sounded in the distance. Lucius looked over to see the familiar red hair and green eyes of a woman, along with the distinctive messy black hair and hazel eyes of a boy.

"Child, please. There must be something else," cried the woman.

Lucius' heart leapt out of his chest. "This has to be it. This must be what I've been searching for."

He was hesitant to interrupt their conversation, but under the circumstances, he was left with no choice.

Considering how he'd treated them in the past, he doubted he would receive a warm reception, yet still he pressed on.

He had come too far to turn back.


	3. At the Banks of Time

"Lucius Malfoy?"

"Yes, Lily." His smile widened as hope boomed within his heart. Lily Potter stood before him, looking as though she had never died. She wore a white-laced Victorian dress matched perfectly with a beautiful floral hat that covered her vibrant red hair.

"What are you doing here, Lucius?" Lily asked.

Lucius looked at his strange surroundings. Time seemed to standstill in this new setting. The sun and moon hung in the same sky, along with all the stars and other planets. All the seasons were rolled into one; looking as though it were snowing in the middle of a hot summer's day. The universe swirled around them, though they were rooted on solid ground. It was an awesome sight to behold. But the one thing that stood out to him, even more than this, was the copper sand that lay below their feet.

"Where is here, Lily?" he asked her.

"Here is time, Lucius." She could tell from his expression that her statement confused him. She laughed but quickly recovered. "I'm sorry, you must be new here."

She straightened her composure and started over again. "Think of time as a river. You're either in it, being caught up in its currents, or you're standing on the river's banks, watching the rapids go by."

"So," he paused as he mulled over her words, "I'm standing at the banks of time?"

"In essence, yes. The past and present, all of the four seasons, all time starts from here, waiting to unfold itself into the future." Lily smiled as she saw him gain some clarity.

"So why are you here?" Lucius asked her, thinking she should be in a more ethereal place.

"All souls travel here every once in a while to learn about their past lives. It helps to prepare them for the future in case they want to be reborn. I frequent this place often and have learned so much about myself."

"Who's this?" the boy asked, eager to join the conversation. The child looked very familiar to Lucius, but the boy's hazel eyes threw him off. Lucius gave Lily his own questioning stare.

"This is Lucius Malfoy, Harold. Lucius, this is one of James' cousins. He was lost to your world years before Harry was born."

"It's nice to meet you." Lucius and the boy shook hands and the boy sat down to play in the sand. "I'm surprised to be greeted this way. With all that has happened, I thought for sure you would've cursed me by now."

"Death is a strange thing, Lucius. It seems as though all of your past angst and grudges die when you leave the mortal world. From where I stand, you look like an ordinary man who needs help. How did you get here, anyway?"

Lucius took a deep breath as he regaled them of his trip. Lily and the boy held onto every word as he told them of his various adventures. Both seemed fascinated at his daring quest to reach this place. As he finished his tale, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. It was as if his soul had released his worries since he was near his journey's end.

"I heard this place was legend. I didn't think it existed until now. They say the wizard who created Time-Turners created this place."

"And you're saying that Time-Turners are running amuck in your world?" Lily asked. He nodded in agreement, showing the two he had to her. "So why come here?"

"Voldemort's numbers are strong and many. The more I jump back, the more they keep up. I don't think I can travel far enough to do what I need to do before they eventually find me."

"So you came here?" asked the boy.

"I heard there is a special Turner that can turn back all reality, not just a few moments in time. They say it's called 'Father Time'."

Both Lily and the boy exchanged glances as Lucius continued.

"They say that this 'Father Time' was the original Time-Turner from which all other Turners were forged. This one was so powerful that it was considered very dangerous, so it was hidden in the statue of the one who made them." He paused for a moment, again, to take in his surroundings. "The statue could only be found in a specific place and time. After working with some numerologist, I'd been able to pinpoint the existence of this place." He continued to stand, in awe of the view. "I've waited a long time to get here." Lucius looked to her and to the child, hoping his efforts weren't in vain.

Lily grabbed a handful of the copper sand and placed it in his hands. She then tipped his hand slightly to allow the grains to fall. As the sand poured from his palms, multiple images of death and destruction flowed out into the wind. Each scene was different and more gruesome than the next, but with each passing scene, a constant and familiar face stood out from all the misery that played: the face of an innocent boy who wasn't quite human.

"Oh, Lucius," she sighed.

"No, no." He could barely watch the faces of death that emanated from the passing grains. He felt the weight of all of the mass devastation, for it was his decision that placed the world in danger. Lucius kept a hold of his troubling emotions and stiff upper lip as the last of the disturbing images disappeared into the stars. "It was my fault. It was all my fault."

Lily held his hand firmly and said, "I know it's a knee jerk reaction for a parent to apologize for his child's behavior. But, Lucius-"

"This was my fault!" he said angrily to himself. His eyes shut tightly to fight back the tears. He wanted desperately to make amends for his actions. He had never realized how costly his judgment had been until he had looked into her eyes. The goodness that came from Lily was so foreign to him; in Lucius' world, there was nothing good left.

Evil had overrun his home and suffocated what was left of his life.

"I need to make it right somehow, Lily."

"Well, it sounds as though you're in the right place," she reassured him.

"So you have it, then?" Lucius asked.

"No -- not me, at least. Best you go over there." Lily pointed him to a door that stood alone with no walls to support either side. "You'll meet a barkeep inside. Ask him how his family is to get him to open up. When he asks you how yours is, make sure you open up to him the same way." Lucius soaked up all he could. He knew it would be the last time he would ever see a smiling face like hers again. Before he could walk away, Lily gave him a quick hug.

"Lucius, how's Narcissa? How is Harry, too? For some reason, I haven't been able to see him."

Lucius was afraid of her reaction...afraid to see the goodness wash away from her face. But felt that he had no choice but to respond to her question. "They're dead, Lily. Harry, Cissy, Draco... all dead. Voldemort killed them all."

The little boy clutched onto Lily, stifling his cries into her skirt. Lily kept a brave front as she returned to him with a smile. "Well, maybe your presence here is what's causing my blind spot. If you're going to alter the past, it most definitely will change the future. It's a good thing that you came."

As he walked through the door, he entered a dodgy, filthy pub, yet the patrons of this place seemed otherworldly. Everyone's attire was different, with ancient tribal wear mingling with western modern clothing. People were speaking and comprehending in different languages as they circulated the establishment.

"What can I get you?" grumbled the old man as Lucius stepped up to the bar to sit.

He was confused as to what he should order. It didn't look like a place where one could get a good stiff drink. "Nothing. I'm fine." The man began to leave when Lucius remembered to ask, "How is your family, sir?"

The old man shrugged his shoulders and then replied, "Honestly, they're fine. Never been better." Lucius expected him to say more, but the man went back to cleaning some glasses. "And you? How's your family?"

Lucius pondered a moment, trying to think of the right response. His mind went over what Lily had told him.

When he asks you how yours is, make sure you open up to him the same way.

But the same as what? The barkeep's response left Lucius confused as to how he should answer. Was he to give the same short reply? Was he to repeat the same words as the barkeep? The man had said his family was fine...and Lucius knew, quite honestly, that his wasn't. Was that the same that Lily was referring too?

"Well, truthfully," Lucius hesitantly stated, "mine isn't. But I hope to find something that will make it all better for them."

The old man looked deep into Lucius' eyes. After a few intense moment of silence, he grumbled and nodded as he turned away from him. Lucius was nervous and began to curse himself for speaking. Judging by the man's reaction, he wondered if he had given the correct answer. Then, he saw the man go under the counter and pull out a wooden box. He returned to Lucius, open the box, and laid out the necklace in front of him.

"I suppose you're seeking this, then?"

Lucius looked confused, wondering what was right about the statement he had given. "So I answered correctly?" he asked.

"It's not so much what you've said. Sometimes when a man speaks honestly, he reveals his intentions also. Your intentions are honest and just. A person holding this object needs to be doing the right thing when using it." Lucius took a hold of the small device to look at it more closely. It looked like any other Time-Turner, except it contained the same copper sand that was on the ground outside. "Two turns should do it."

"Two turns?"

"Of course! Your ordinary Time-Turners deal with incremental amounts of time. This one deals with reality, which folds over larger amounts of time within its turns." The man took the piece from Lucius as he instructed him. "When you turn it, you must concentrate on the point of time that you are trying to change and then make your turns."

Lucius tried to touch it but the man slapped his hand as he continued. "Make sure you focus on that point. And only two turns! Turning it too much could undo time itself." After he finished speaking, he placed the item back in Lucius' hands.

"Well, we can't let that happen." Lucius carefully placed it in his pocket. "I'll be sure to keep it safe." As he secured the item on his person, he noticed that the room had become very quiet. He looked to the barkeep and saw that he had a frightful, wide-eyed expression on his face. Lucius turned to the direction that the barkeep was starring in.

A blond haired boy with a demented smile greeted Lucius at the bar.

"Hello, Father."


	4. Into Oblivian

"That's your boy?" asked the barkeep.

"Of course I am," replied the blonde creature. He sauntered his way to the bar and took a seat close to Lucius. "I look like your son. I talk like your son. I act like him too. So it must mean that I am _your son_."

But Lucius knew otherwise. In a cruel twist of fate, the boy who used to be his son was now known as Lord Voldemort. "So good to see you, my Lord."

"Oh, cut the crap, Lucy. I know you are as sincere as Nagini during feeding time. It hurts me, _father._"

Lucius hated to hear the word _father_. It made him cringe whenever his master spoke it in that taunting manner. Voldemort knew he held Lucius's son captive by possessing his body. So the Dark Lord knew that Lucius was powerless to hurt him cause it would essentially kill Draco…or what was left of him. Considering how long Voldemort has been in possession of him, Draco was more than likely lost.

"I meant no disrespect, my Lord," he said to his master, straining under his own temperament. From looking at his half appearance, he could see that he was wearing the invisibility cloak. He could also see the necklace that still had the cursed stone latched to it. He could even see the elder wand being held tightly in his clutches.

Ever since he'd retrieved all three of the Hallows, Voldemort considered himself "The Master of Death".

Now he wanted to be considered "The Master of All Time".

"You left so quickly, mother didn't get a chance to say goodbye."

Lucius stomach turned at the mention of his Inferi wife. He doubled his efforts in reigning in his anger as the face of his son smiled menacingly into his. "Again, I meant no disrespect, my Lord. I only strive to serve you since you have acquired my son's body." He made every effort to pour on the charm, lacing his words with honey. "You know how I love my son."

"Yes, that I do know. Which is why it is interesting to see you are here."

"Of course it is," he reiterated, scrambling to find the right words. He decided to take a different approach in the conversation. "As omniscient as you are, you must have been aware of the plot to de-throne you."

"Of course I'm aware. That plot has been going on for years."

"True. So you must have realized that when they heard of your plans for this piece, they would dispatch their spies to follow." He could see a flicker of detest within his master's eyes. Ever since Voldemort returned to life, he had been extra paranoid around the company he kept. Snape's betrayal had left him leery. Lucius knew if he could feed into this, it might throw him off course.

"My spies had told me that you were taking this course in time to find what I've been searching for."

"They were only part right, my Lord. I heard of the plot that would destroy you, and hence my son. So fearing for Draco's safety, I came here to head them off. Luckily, I was able to dispatch Alastor Moody before he got to this place. He and the New Order had every intention of taking this to undo your reign." Lucius searched hard within Voldemort's eyes to see if his words were taking effect. "I know that securing your supremacy safeguards my son's safety. That is why you have blessed me with my life, because you know I would do anything to keep my son safe. To keep you safe, my lord."

He thought he would pass out as he held his breath for a response.

"You've done well, father. Now it's time to leave and continue with my conquests."

Lucius gave a gracious bow before he followed behind his master. He looked back to the bar keep, who kept a solemn gaze as he watched him leave. However, within his eyes, the man was able to say a few words before he left.

_Two turns._

As they stepped outside, Voldemort turned to Lucius and said, "Since you were able to retrieve it, why don't you give it to me?"

"Of course." Without hesitation, he went to his pocket to pull out the piece. "I'm sure you will be able to defend yourself when they realize you have the item." He could feel the wheels turning in his mind as he artfully manipulated his words. "As soon as we step back into normal time, they will come at you with their wands blazing. I will defend you to the best of my abilities, as always."

Again he waited for a response. As many attempts that had been made on Voldemort's life, he knew Voldemort feared doing battle on his own. Even with all the Hallows at his disposal, Lucius knew his master was too arrogant and too self absorbed to risk his own life valiantly.

"I'll let you hold onto it for now, Lucius. If they see that you have it, they'll go for you first."

"Of course, my Lord."

Voldemort looked in the direction of Lily and the child. "How goes it, Lily?" He asked with mock concern. But she didn't respond. Her sad expression spoke for itself.

As Voldemort kept taunting Lily, Lucius gathered his strength, for he knew he had to move fast. He used the distraction to take hold of his master's cloak. With his other hand still on the piece in his pocket, he moved his fingers over the hourglass to turn it just once.

"Well, we should be off now. It's good seeing you, Lily Potter. Give your son my regards, should you ever see him around." Voldemort's cackle echoed through the place. The vile sound had a strange reverberating effect, causing the stars to grow dim under the noise.

Lucius chanced a glance at Lily, who still kept the same expression. As he caught her eye, she gave him a slight wink, like she knew what he had to do next.

"Auld Lang Syne."

As soon as Voldemort said the words, the same shower of lights came and took them back to the dark room. In one quick motion, Lucius snatched the cloak and took off running. He could hear Voldemort's screams as he realized that he couldn't properly curse him, since magic had no affect in that area.

"FATHER!" The wretched sound of his master's shrieks shook the room and Lucius soul.

After much stumbling, Lucius was able to make it to the outside. As he stepped on the street, he was soon greeted by a fury of sparks hurtling in his direction.

Voldemort's army had been waiting for him to appear.

Still feeling the cloth in his hand and the piece still in his pocket, he quickly got under the cloak and turned the object once more. Knowing what was at stake, it wasn't hard for him to concentrate on where he needed to go next.

Bright lights burst forth and the stars looked as though it were falling from the sky. The scenery around him morphed in to a plain field with trees outlining the perimeter.

It was still night, but from the fire in the sky, he knew he had shown up in the right place and time.

"Draco!" He set off running into the forest. He knew he only had one chance to get it right or else it would be the end for all humanity.

As he got closer, he could see his son standing in that fateful spot that would change their lives forever.

"DRACO!"

The boy didn't hear him at first - at least, not the boy he'd wanted.

A pain ripped at Lucius' side as part of his flesh fell to the ground. He wondered why Lord Voldemort didn't just kill him, but with his gaping wound Lucius realized that he needed to be seen in order for his master to do the curse properly.

"YOU FOOLISH MORTAL! DID YOU THINK YOU COULD GET AWAY SO EASILY?" Lord Voldemort's eyes glowed with intensity as he stormed towards Lucius.

"I was never trying to get away, my Lord. I was only trying to get to the end."

With one last breath he sent a spark towards the boy - his son who was about to pick up the stone. The spark hit the boy, who was so startled that he took of screaming in the other direction.

"NOOOO!" Voldemort's cries were like a sweet symphony to Lucius ears.  
Aside from his wife's voice and the cries of his son when he was first born, nothing had sounded as sweet as his master being defeated…and destroyed.

It was over.

As Lucius hit the ground of the soft forest floor, he didn't greet death, but oblivion.

For he knew that what could have happened would never occur.


End file.
